Officials with the Ford Motor Company reportedly dislike plans that the Republican-led Tennessee General Assembly have made to block President Joe Biden’s COVD-19 vaccine mandates for private employers.
This, according to the Nashville-based FOX 17, which reported the news and quoted a spokeswoman for Governor Bill Lee on Friday.
“We have heard from a number of businesses, including Ford and other (manufacturers), regarding concerns with proposals and encouraged them to reach out to legislators directly,” Lee spokeswoman Laine Arnold reportedly told FOX 17.
The station reported that Republican lawmakers want to prohibit “a wide range of COVID-19 restrictions, particularly mask mandates and vaccine requirements.”
“In just three days, the General Assembly’s actions have sparked alarm among the business community, with the National Federation of Independent Business warning that their proposals could hinder the ‘very survival’ of vulnerable businesses,” FOX 17 reported.
The station also quoted Ford CEO Jim Farly, who reportedly said he was “really excited about the mandate.”
Ford officials are scheduled to start work immediately on a new project in Tennessee. The project encompasses 3,600 acres of the 4,100-acre Memphis mega site that will house Ford’s electric F-Series of trucks and SK Innovation battery manufacturing.
Tennessee legislators approved $884 million in spending and creating a Mega site Authority of West Tennessee board to oversee operations.
“This is the largest single economic investment in rural Tennessee’s history,” Lee said upon its approval.
“It is, most importantly, a win for western Tennessee’s workforce.”
State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver (R-Lancaster) told The Tennessee Star Report on Thursday that she voted against incentivizing the private company.
“It was a political stampede. Who’s not for jobs, jobs, jobs. I’m very much for economic development so people can provide for their families,” Weaver said.
“It’s a blessing to have a job. It’s a good indication that you’re doing things right in the landscape here in the state.”
Weaver later listed what she said were the reasons that people relocate to Tennessee from other states.
“We have made a landscape here in Tennessee that literally when I talk to folks and I find they moved here from California, from New York, and across the country. And I said, well, why did you pick Tennessee? And inevitably, it’s about, well, we did research. We found out you’re a low tax state. We like your values. We like what you stand for,” Weaver said.
“Of course, not to mention the beautiful landscape and the lush trees, yadda, yadda. But people move here, and they do the research, and they move here because their buck can be more.”
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
I don’t buy GM because they are plastic. Don’t buy Chrysler products because they refused to honor my “lifetime powertrain” warranty. Now I don’t buy Ford because they are politically supporting the Anti-American Democratic Party.
Tennessee has agreed to spend on behalf of Ford almost a billion dollars to come to our State to manufacturer their products. These people are not even here yet, and already they are trying to tell us how to ‘run’ our State. IMO if THIS is the way that Ford intends to behave in our State, as far as I am concerned they can go back to where they came from. (And we can save ourselves a billion dollars in expenditures.)
The Governor’s office has no business being the conveyor of such leftist drivel, acting, in effect, as Ford’s handmaiden and mouthpiece.
Ms. Arnold, we don’t care what Ford has to say about the part of the special session of the General Assembly that the Governor opposed having (the Covid session).
Leave us all alone.
We don’t want to hear from you or the Governor.
Hitler’s tanks had Ford Engines. Screw Ford. Buy Japanese.
And Japanese planes with Mitsubishi engines bombed Pearl Harbor.
FORD can go to a Democrat state they love Communism. Oh wait, Ford can’t make money in a Democrat state, to many government regulations, taxes, and Democrats do not like to work.
FORD, DON’T CALIFORNIA TENNESSEE!
The correct phrase is “Don’t Californicate Tennessee”.
Let them go to New York or California, and give the incentives to people who want to do business instead of social engineering. If you bend on Covid compliance, they will expect you to bend on every edic that comes out of Washington or the progressive left wanting to take over this country.
Talk about corporate extortion. Ford gets a billion dollars of Tennessee tax money because of Lee and his big government buddies in the legislature – they sure do not represent me on this – then Ford turns around and lobbies to change our culture before a spade of dirt has been turned (or more accurately a taxpayer’s dollar has been wasted). Is anyone really surprised that a big union operation is pushing for government control of our lives. This makes me want to puke.
Thanks Bill Lee, Ferrell Haile and William Lamberth. You have turned loose a monster ready to destroy Tennessee values. I hope that you are happy because this citizen sure the heck is not!
Wow, the taxpayers of TN just committed to over an $800 million welfare payment to Ford and they’re telling the state how to run itself? The agreement from the TN legislature is pablum compared to Florida. I bet the other non union automakers in the state are wondering WTH? As are the down range auto suppliers. Once again the state is picking losers. I’m wondering who in Lee’s administration is making bang off of this welfare deal?
I’ve never purchased a Ford and never will! Bad company – bad product!
My next truck will NOT be a Ford.
That shows they’re fascist. That is, a corporation who does the government’s bidding to impose tyranny on its people.
No one ask Ford’s opinion. They have no business telling us how to run our politics. I do not care if they ever come here its only because of the money they are coming. Stay the hell out. “TO HELL WITH FORD” Take your electric piece of crap to some other a- – kissing state. “Lets go Brandon”
It starting to look like Lee is wanting to sell TN out to some new Leftist Corporation Overlords. “…National Federation of Independent Business warning that their proposals could hinder the ‘very survival’ of vulnerable businesses,…” Huh. Thats strange because Florida’s businesses are booming thanks to Desantis having a real spine and not allowing business to force vax and mask mandates on its employees. Their prohibition of restrictions is working out GREAT.
Our legislature had better stand its ground or Ford, et al. will be the CorpVirus that will kill the state. Leftists are like locusts who move in and devour and destroy everything around them only to pick up and move to new feeding grounds. Looks like TN is on the menu.
So what, Ford. Be nationalists on your own national platform, but keep your Leftist nonsense OUT of Tennessee politics. I know those a good jobs, and a good situation for Tennessee, but TN is ALSO a good thing for FORD! Our taxes, hardworkers, and other great advantages HELP your company.
Respect us, or risk losing OUR respect.
Let’s not forget, because of Tennessee’s position, we have Smith and Wesson’s National Headquarters relocating to Tennessee. They’ve lived in Leftist land, since 1852. No longer.
They chose Tennessee. Other companies recently have made the same choice, as well.
And others will, too.
We can afford to lose Ford, IF Ford wants to go broke. I doubt Tennesseans would buy many Ford’s, after bailing on TN, over Ford’s self-destructive leftist policy. I wager MANY other people in this country would object, as well. Other hard-workers, that make up Ford’s customer base.
Ford, you are about to make a, long-term, and massive, financial mistake. Just look at the NFL, and NBA, as other prime examples.
Amen! Well said!